Room unit for an hvac system and method for exchanging data between a mobile device and a room unit or an hvac system

Abstract

A room unit for an HVAC system includes an electric connection device that electrically connects the room unit to the HVAC system. The room unit further includes a controller and a short-range wireless communication module, which enables wireless communication with a mobile device to exchange data between the mobile device and the HVAC system or vice versa. A method for exchanging data between the mobile device and the HVAC system via the room unit includes establishing a short-range wireless communication connection between the mobile device and the room unit, relaying data to and from the HVAC system via the electric connection device and relaying data to and from the mobile device via the short range wireless communication module.

1 . A room unit for an HVAC system comprising:
 a connection means configured to electrically connect the room unit to the HVAC system, and   a controller, and   a short-range wireless communication module configured to perform wireless communication with a mobile device to exchange data between the mobile device and the room unit, and vice versa.   
     
     
         2 . The room unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the short-range wireless communication module is a near field communication module or a Bluetooth Low Energy communication module. 
     
     
         3 . The room unit according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the room unit further comprises at least one sensor configured to measure at least one parameter of ambient air, and   the controller is configured to transmit the at least one parameter to the mobile device and/or the HVAC system.   
     
     
         4 . The room unit according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said data comprises at least one parameter of the HVAC system or of the room unit or   a command to alter at least one parameter of the HVAC system or room unit.   
     
     
         5 . The room unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to allow or deny the exchange of specific data between the room unit and the mobile device, and vice versa, based on access rights stored in a memory of the room unit. 
     
     
         6 . The room unit according to  claim 5 , wherein:
 the controller is configured to query a passcode or pin from the mobile device, and   the memory includes information which define the access rights for a mobile device that has providing a specific passcode or pin.   
     
     
         7 . The room unit according to  claim 5 , wherein the controller is configured such that the access rights stored in the memory of the room unit are alterable by a command included in the data sent from the mobile device to the room unit. 
     
     
         8 . The room unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the connection means is a connector for a bus system. 
     
     
         9 . The room unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the room unit further comprises a display, configured to display at least a part of the data or the or at least one parameter of ambient air. 
     
     
         10 . The room unit according to  claim 9 , wherein the display is a touch-screen or is overlaid by a touch sensitive foil. 
     
     
         11 . A method for exchanging data between a mobile device and an HVAC system or a room unit, or vice versa, comprising:
 a) establishing a short-range wireless communication connection between the mobile device and the room unit according to  claim 1 ; and   b) relaying data from the HVAC system to the mobile device, and vice versa, by the controller through the connection means and the short range wireless communication module, or transmission of data between the room unit and the mobile device, and vice versa.   
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 11 , wherein said data comprises at least one parameter of the HVAC system or of the room unit or a command to alter at least one parameter of the HVAC system or of the room unit. 
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 11 , wherein the controller checks whether an exchange of specific data with the mobile device is to be allowed or denied when said mobile device establishes the short-range communication connection with the room unit, said check being based on access rights stored in a memory of the room unit. 
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 13 , wherein:
 the controller queries a passcode or pin from the mobile device and retrieves information defining the access rights for the mobile device which correspond to the passcode or pin provided by the mobile device, and   the memory of the room unit stores a table associating different access rights to specific passcodes or pins.   
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 13 , wherein the controller alters the access rights stored in the memory upon reception of a corresponding command from the mobile device. 
     
     
         16 . A method for configuring a room unit  claim 1 , comprising:
 a) writing configuration parameters from the mobile device to a non-volatile memory; of the short-range wireless communication module; and   b) reading the configuration parameters from the non-volatile memory of the short-range wireless communication module by the controller.   
     
     
         17 . A computer program comprising instructions that, when executed,
 cause the room unit according to  claim 1  to perform the method steps of:   a) establishing a short-range wireless communication connection between the mobile device and the room unit; and   b) relaying data from the HVAC system to the mobile device, and vice versa, by the controller through the connection means and the short range wireless communication connection or transmission of data between the room unit and the mobile device, and vice versa.   
     
     
         18 . The room unit according to  claim 6 , wherein:
 the controller is configured to alter the access rights stored in the memory of the room unit in response to receiving a command included in the data sent from the mobile device to the room unit, and   at least one passcode or pin is associated with at least one of the access rights.   
     
     
         19 . The room unit according to  claim 18 , wherein:
 the short-range wireless communication module is a near field communication module or a Bluetooth Low Energy communication module,   the room unit further comprises at least one sensor configured to measure at least one parameter of ambient air,   the controller is configured to transmit the at least one parameter to the mobile device and/or the HVAC system,   said data comprises at least one parameter of the HVAC system or of the room unit or a command to alter at least one parameter of the HVAC system or room unit, and   the connection means is a connector for a field bus system.   
     
     
         20 . The room unit according to  claim 19 , wherein:
 the controller is configured to:
 relay data to and from the HVAC system via the connection means, 
 relay data to and from the mobile device via the short range wireless communication module, 
 retrieve information defining the access rights for the mobile device that correspond to the passcode or pin provided by the mobile device, and 
   the memory of the room unit stores a table associating different access rights with specific passcodes or pins.